Chest: Gallery Label - Current

Author

Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Date

2011-11-07

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Arts

This chest was made by Ivar Kvalen, from the Gudbrandsdalen region of Norway, to commemorate the marriage of his daughter Sirid to Ola Iverson Lo in 1777. It is decorated with fluid rococo scroll cartouches framing Sirid's initials, "SIDQ," for Sirid Ivar's Datter Quallen (Kvalen) and the date, 1777. As a dowry chest, it would have been filled with clothing, linens, and valuables. In 1858, Sirid's descendant, Eli, and her husband, Ola Torgerson brought the chest with them when they emigrated from Norway to Wisconsin.